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American Medical Association Publishes Op-Ed on Lack of Adequate Cannabis Research

The peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, this week published an opinion piece addressing inadequate methodology involved in cannabis research, especially in placebo-controlled or “double-blind” trials.

Titled, “The Achilles Heel of Medical Cannabis Research—Inadequate Blinding of Placebo-Controlled Trials,” the op-ed was authored by Dr. David Casarett, of Duke University School of Medicine. In it, Dr. Casarett argues that data from blinded, placebo-controlled studies of medical cannabis efficacy is likely to be skewed because subjects that receive active medication can tell that THC is affecting them.

The doctor reasoned that recognizing the effects of cannabis might influence these subjects to exaggerate their responses, in regards to any beneficial or adverse affects. Casarett goes on to suggest four possible solutions to arrive at more accurate data, when conducting human trials for